ATHLETIC BACKGROUND: HS football and wrestling. I was in Army ROTC and Reserves — that’s not technically an “athletic” endeavor, but we worked out a lot. Then I was a lawyer for 10 years in Manhattan and got really fat and unhealthy and basically did nothing physical, except for short bursts here and there. (Check out the picture, that’s me on the right.)

FAVORITE PART ABOUT CROSSFIT AND WHAT SETS IT APART FROM OLD TRAINING REGIMEN? It’s so varied. I love that its not boring and routine, like going to the gym used to be for me — where I’d basically watch a lot of Sports Center on the TVs. I love competing against myself and with others who I feel like I’m chasing. I like earning a score. It’s kind of dumb, like points in video games. I know the points are meaningless, but I’ll die to get more points. And that extra effort and few more reps when you are exhausted and at muscle failure is what CrossFit is all about.

WORKING OUT WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES: I love working out with other employees at my law firm. It’s really a good and healthy way for us to get to know each other. It doesn’t always have to be drinks. I think it builds trust at work. I think it’s easier to work with people if you, you know, actually like them and know them. You tend to really want to help each other. And that’s what Maxability does for us. And the dialogue at work has definitely changed. We talk about the workouts and what we’re working on individually, and we joke around, and it’s just fun. And it’s a great way to blow off steam.

PROUDEST CROSSFIT MOMENT: Getting the bar muscle ups during this past Open was a big deal to me. I’ve been trying for that for a long time. I felt similar about DUs when I got those too. I took me about 3 years to get DUs. I used to practice in my driveway while my wife and kids laughed at me. Also, not sure if it’s the proudest, but one of my most favorite moments was when my work colleague Suzanne (Beastmode) Bradley and I competed in the Garwood Games Jack and Jill competition. We got 4th place in the scaled division — so close to the podium that it hurt. But competing like that really pushes you. I didn’t think I could have outputted any more effort than I did and that’s a good feeling.

GOALS TO COMPLETE BY NEXT YEAR’S OPEN: I’d sure like to deadlift more than 400 lbs. Ring muscle up is my white whale, but I can’t work on it now because I have a balky shoulder. Oh, and my pull-up butterfly kip looks like a frog being electrocuted, so I’d like to smooth that out so I actually look like an athlete when I do them.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO ARE HESITANT TO JOIN CROSSFIT? I lost a bunch of weight before I found Maxability, but I’d done that before and gained a lot of it back. I’m never going back now. I’ve never felt stronger. I can play with my kids (3 boys) all day long. I used to be exhausted at home and during any down time and it made me a crappier father and husband. CrossFit really is life changing. It can change your identity. It’s harder for me to not go work out now, because its actually that enjoyable. And you don’t have to get fit first to do it. That’s BS. CrossFit will get you into shape. There’s no shame there. It’s really just support and camaraderie. Don’t listen to the haters. They’re just wrong. Come and see.

FAVORITE WOD/MOVEMENTS: I like snatches, jerks, basically anything overhead. I like push-ups because I can do them all day. I like rope climbs even though I’m not good at them because well — hey, that’s cool, I can climb a rope and I couldn’t do that before. I don’t mind burpees as much as most people do. My favorite WOD is when we do “The Chief” every year. It’s just fun because the whole Box comes together, we’re usually outside, its a great cause, and I love it when my wife and kids come. I don’t even mind that it’s run by a Navy punk like Coach DP.

LEAST FAVORITE MOVEMENT: The Airdyne and I am working on it through WOD picking.

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Maxability Sports and CrossFit is a real deal, no gimmicks training facility located in Teaneck, NJ. From beginners to elite athletes, we train individuals of all levels who are dedicated to making fitness a priority in their lives.